K k lieberknecht



Aug. 22, 1933. K.-K. LIEBERKNECHT 1,923,984

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING STOCKINGS 0N STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES IN CONTINUOUS OPERATION FiledzApril 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l //7ven/vp:

Ina/$24., AMT

1933. K. K. LIEBERKNECHT 1,923,984

' PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING STOCKINGS ON STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES IN CONTINUOUS OPERATION I Fi1ed:April "r, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In vn/vh:

A2414. Z'Mw Patented Aug. 22, 1933 UNHTED S PATENT Karl Klaus Lieberknecht, Oberlungwitz,

Germany Application April 71, 1930, Serial No. 442,372, and in Germany April 8, 1929 4 Claims.

Numerous methods have become known for manufacturing stockings in continuous operation. All these methods present however the inconvenience, that they do not allow to produce 5 a stocking which, as regards shape and appearance, is similar to the stockings commonly produced on leggingand footing-frames;

This invention relates to a manufacturing method which solves this problem in a perfect manner. According to the new method, the stocking middle is, during the knitting of the heels in a manner usual for the knitting on legging-frames, held on the needles of the middle portion of the needle bed in preventing at the same time the knocking off from the needles and after the termination of the heels, the foot is knitted directly on the middle portion without running on. After the termination of the knitting of the heels, the heels need not be knocked off, but the side portions of the foot are directly knitted on the heels, whereas after the completion of the stocking on the straight knitting machine, the connection between heel portion and foot portion is cut through in the range of the widening courses, and the inner side edge of the heel is connected with the beginning row of the foot by stitching, sewing or the like.

For further explanation of the invention, the illustrations on the accompanying drawings show a preferred embodiment.

Fig. 1 shows a leg with heels and foot knitted according to the new method.

Fig. 2 shows the subsequent treatment of th stocking.

To carry out the new method the stocking or sock is knitted as usual up to the beginning of the heel 1, whereupon directly after this the thread guide for the middle portion is stopped. The fabric itself is however not knocked off the needles standing in the middle portion of the needle bed, but remains during the knitting of the heel on the needles, as a suitable means or device is provided for preventing the pressing off of the needles in the range of the middle portion. The heel 1 is fitted in known manner with slack course 2 and widening rows 3. At the point 4 of the usual heel fashioning the thread guide bars are moved inwards, whereas during the widening rows 3 they are moved in outward direction according to. the working width of a normal foot. After the device "for preventing the pressing on in the middle portion has again been rendered inoperative, the foot is directly knitted on the middle portion and heels. The first row (Cl. 66l.87)

of the foot is knitted as slack course 5 in the side portions (sole portions), as shown in Fig. 1.

For completing the stocking the connection between heel portion and foot portion is cut through in the range of the widening rows, and the inner side edge of the heel is connected with the first row of the foot by stitching, sewing, or the like (Fig. 2).

A stocking is obtained, which is quite similar as regards shape and appearance to the stockings produced separately on leggingand footing-frames.

It is evidently possible to knock the heels ofi after the termination of the widening rows and to knit the side parts of the foot by means of a separate taking up device without connection with the heel taking up widening rows.

I claim:

1. A method of manufacturing properly shaped stockings having French feet on a straight knitting machine in one continuous operation consisting of stopping the feed of yarn to instep needles and preventing the pressing 01f of loops from the instep needles during the knitting of heel tabs, then knitting a loose course at the end of the-heel tabs, then knitting a plurality of courses which gradually increase from heel tab to sole width, then knitting a second loose course on the two side groups of sole needles, and then resuming knitting on the instep needles by feeding them yarn and pressing off their loops and knitting them together with the two side sole needle groups to form the foot fabric.

2. A method of manufacturing properly shaped stockings having French feet on a straight knitting machine in one continuous operation consisting of normally knitting the leg portion down to the heel tabs, then stopping the knitting on the instep needles with the last row of loops retained thereon, then knitting the heel tabs, then a loose course and onto the loose course knitting a plurality of courses which gradually increase from' heel tab to sole width, knitting another loose course in the sole portion and resuming knitting on the instep needles together with the sole needles to complete the foot portion.

3. A method of manufacturing properly shaped stockings having French feet on a straight knitting machine in one continuous operation consisting of normally knitting the leg portion down to the heel tabs, then stopping the knitting on the instep needles with the last row of loops retained thereon, then knitting the heel tabs, then knitting a loose course, then knitting a plurality of courses which gradually increase from heel tab to sole width, then knitting another loose course in the sole portion, and resuming knitting on the ,instep needles together with the side sole needles to complete the foot portion, then severing the fabric between the heel and sole loose courses, joining the inner selvages of the heel tab with the loose course of the sole portion and unravelling the surplus courses of the sole portions from the line of cut back to the line of joining.

4. A method of manufacturing properly shaped stockings having French feet on a KARL KLAUS LIEBERKNECHT. 

